Seven Axes
by ShadowSong StarGlaive The Wolf
Summary: [Complete]Six Marlfoxes go out to seek what is out of Castle Marl... while a plotting daughter stays behind...
1. Prologue

A/N Hiya! Lookie, another Redwall fic by me... Just start to expect that from now on, okay? This is a Marlfox fic, thus the title 'Seven Axes'. There are b no /b pairings; All the Marlfoxes are siblings, except for Silth. And she killed her mate, so would you call that a pairing? I wouldn't. Okay... on with the fic! By the way, this is set about a season before Marlfox the book. The prologue... well, that's twenty seasons ago!  
  
Disclaimer: Once again, Brain Jacques has refused me the privilege of owning Redwall. 'Sigh'. I suppose I will have to continue with the Redwall I fanfics /I. Oh well! -  
  
I Twenty seasons ago, on Lake Marlfox, Queen Silth had seven cubs... /I  
  
Queen Silth fondly stroked the head of smallest, which had a small, fragile looking frame. The rest were built like their father; sinewy and tough, with pale eyes and gray-black fur. They had been born about five days ago, and were growing silky fur and strong claws.  
  
The father, at that moment, stood nearby, flanked by rat guards, each carrying a spear. He leaned down, sniffed, and sneezed. "Hmm, not a bad brood. Of course, with their father as the king, they can grow-"  
  
Silth snarled, angry. "What makes you think you will be king just because you have pups, Darkeir?"  
  
Darkeir bared his fangs. "I will, Silth. And you will be queen, no worry."  
  
Silth passed the one she was fondling to a female rat midwife close at paw. She stood up, weak but with her fury she was strong. "Well, Darkeir, what would you do as king?"  
  
He shrugged. "Rule. Kill any creature that defies my rule. You would too, Silth."  
  
An axe, her favorite weapon, lay nearby in a corner of the dark, dank room. She bent down to pick it up, grunting with pain, but her anger helped. With great self-control, she lifted the axe. She gave it to him. "Here, Darkeir. Take my axe. It is a symbol of power. Surely you would, as king, deserve it?"  
  
Darkeir grinned mentally. He had gotten the better of his mate! Reaching forth a paw to take the axe with, his mate pulled it back thoughtfully. "Wait..."  
  
It happened in a mere second. She twisted and neatly slashed with the blade of the axe. The kits saw it too, staring with their dusk-colored eyes. Their mother laughed, then doubled over, weak. She hobbled to her bed, her paws crimson from clasping the axe when she sliced off her mate's head.  
  
One of the rat guards gingerly picked up the head of the deceased Marlfox then almost dropped it. Silth chuckled nastily, then like a playful pup, said, "Throw it out the window!"  
  
The rat carefully scooted towards the gap in the wall, then hurled the head. Silth, tired from her recent murder, shushed the rats in the room and listened.  
  
A faint splash and snap of teeth sounded from the lake. She giggled, and then snapped, "Now get the carcass out of my sight. I must be surrounded by beauty!"  
  
As she watched a few of the rats in the room lift and carry the corpse away, she snarled, "No one can outwit the queen of Marlfoxes!"  
  
A/N I know it's short, but it's the b prologue /b. It's supposed to be short.  
  
How was it? Was it good? I am definate on it being a chapter fic. I just really don't know how long. Right now, I am working on two fics, and 'trying' to post another- I just can't find the time. Well, see you... um... next chapter! ,,,, This is five days after the cubs were born. So they can open their eyes. I think it's after three days that kits can open their eyes. Please tell me if I'm wrong! 


	2. Out of Castle Marl

  
A/N I got reviews for my other stories! I'm happy. Also, I think a season is a year to them, because in Taggerung, fifteen seasons made Tagg an independent, and skilled teen. At fifteen years old, you are independent, and go against your elders, (or so I've heard.) Like Tagg. At seven seasons, you act seven years old, three season, three years old, and so on and so forth. Also, in my prologue, the bolded and italicized things didn't work. ,,,,, So I am not doing those any more. Also, I forgot to mention the kingfisher in the first chapter. Well, he was there, and got attacked by the magpies.  
Disclaimer: Well, let's see... I own the title Seven Axes, Darkeir, and my random rats in the story. I don't own Redwall. If I did, then I would be writing the new book, not sitting down at my laptop making up fanfictions.  
  
Twelve seasons later, seven foxes strode down the halls of Castle Marl, robes sweeping the corridor. All them clasped axes, except one. She looked much like her siblings, but looked delicate and more cunning then the rest. Lantur had no weapon, but had many rat guards at her side. She walked far behind the other six, conferring with a rat.  
  
"Gelltor, is this really necessary? The Queen hates being disturbed." Predak, a young vixen, held her silver axe in her right paw. She rubbed her claws on her left paw with anxiety with her snout. "And you know she will refuse."  
  
Gelltor, a sturdy, more hotheaded Marlfox then the rest stamped his footpaw down. "She must! We have been coped up in this castle for weeks!" To emphasis this, he sliced the air in front of him with his gray-silver axe.  
  
Ziral stepped forward, along with another female Marlfox, Vannan. Ziral knocked on the carved, oaken door of the Queen's chamber. "Mother- er, Queen?"  
  
A raspy, hoarse voice sounded. "Who is there? Ziral? What are you doing here?"  
  
A male Marlfox, Ascrod, replied, "Our brother Gelltor has a request, O Queen."  
  
The Queen spoke in a throaty voice. "Come in, but immediately shut the door!"  
  
Her brood of seven cubs, along with about ten guards, rushed into the room. Mokkan, a sly, clever Marlfox brother, slammed the door hastily.  
  
The Queen was in her bed, enclosed by a thick, silk sheet and guarded by rats. She hissed out, "What is it, Gelltor?"  
  
He bowed, still knowing that she couldn't see it, but just in case. "O High Queen, I have requested that my siblings come with we on an expedition out of the confines of Castle Marl."  
  
The sheet rumpled, and the rat guards parted. A weak and frail looking paw pulled the sheet aside.  
  
The Queen was old, her fur set deep with wrinkles, her once beauty gone. Hollow bags hung under her eyes. She whispered with a croak in her voice. "Why? Do you wish to escape, run away from Castle Marl?"  
  
Predak, the more soft-spoken of the Marlfoxes, added to help her brother. "Rather, O Queen, we wanted to explore, and perhaps seek out plunder."  
  
The Queen thought about this. She paused, her pallid eyes trying to find a solution. Finally, she rasped, "Go, but with three rat guards each! And...." She thought with a greedy look on her withered face. "Bring beauty back for your queen. I must be surrounded by beauty!"  
  
Lantur stepped forward. "Queen, I have decided not to go with my siblings. It is they who wants to go outside- I, do not."  
  
Silth snapped, "Well, then, my daughter. You will stay here. You all may leave here, except for you, Lantur!"  
  
Gelltor, Ascrod, Mokkan, Vannan, Predak, and Ziral bowed and left. Lantur stayed, a rat behind her. Lantur, too, bowed, and nodded towards a door. "A minute, Mother."  
  
Silth shut her curtains, saying, "I am High Queen of the Marlfoxes, Queen Silth! Call me Queen!"  
  
Lantur bowed again, replying, "Yes, O Queen." She motioned for the female rat behind her to follow. She went into a corner, far out of any rat guard or the Queen's hearing. "Wilce, is everything set?"  
  
The rat, Wilce, nodded feverently. "Yes, marm. The sheet is covered in fresh scales, and the charcoal is new from the ovens. All I need is a place."  
  
Lantur patted the wall. A hollow thumping came from it. She grinned. "There. Where is it?"  
  
Wilce bobbed her head. "It is in the storage room. I left it under a sack of grain."  
  
Lantur looked outside- it was nearly midday. "Right. My sisters and brothers will soon be gone, and I will be free to use my... weapon."  
  
Wilce smiled, showing yellowed teeth. "Indeed!"  
  
Mokkan strapped his cloak tightly about him. Gelltor rubbed his ax (I re-read Marlfox, and they spelled it 'ax', not 'axe'. If I spell it wrong, just ignore it! ,,,,,). Vannan was checking and rechecking the rations. Everyone else was putting the needed materials in the boat, along with the eighteen rat guards.  
  
Ascrod was setting a small bag of nails, thin pieces of wire and other thieving items under a small seat. Only two large bags were being brought on the outing; Ascrod's bag was small enough to be ignored.  
  
Predak settled in a boat; there was two. Wriggling down into the seat, she asked the rat sailor, "When are we going?"  
  
He replied hastily, "Soon, Lady Predak."  
  
About five mintues later, the two boats had left the dock of Castle Marl and were halfway across the prodigious lake when they clashed with the pike shoals.  
  
Gelltor had been lounging near the left edge of the boat when his tail drooped over the side. A pike, seeing the furry, dangling object, leapt out of the water and bit him.  
  
The Marlfox roared and swiped at his tail, missing. The fish clung on with determination.  
  
Vannan, on the next boat, saw this, and lashed out with her ax pole. It slammed into the fish, and was slapped off.  
  
Gelltor snarled with anger, making a cry like a wounded wolf. Mokkan leaned back, and asked with a smug attitude: "Well, brother, how do you like the outside?"  
  
Gelltor hit out with his ax pole, catching his brother in the hindleg. Mokkan yelped, and was about to strike his brother, but Ziral stepped between them. "Stop it, you two. Ignore each other. Wait until a real enemy comes."  
  
A/N Well? How was it? I'm super tired, it's nine o'clock on a school night, and I'm so used to writing earlier, but my sister had the laptop... ugh. Sorry if it stinks. 


	3. Into Mossflower

  
A/N Hello! It is Saturday! cheers And only 5 more days of school, not counting Sunday or today. I do not find those "school". Unless you are in AC, but whatever.  
  
Disclaimer: The All Mighty Brian Jacques has yet to give me Redwall.  
  
Mokkan sat at the prow of the boat, watching the land. He scanned the area with his keen, pallid eyes. Bringing his ax out, he snapped at the rat sailor, "Well? Beach this cursed thing!"  
  
The rat hastily did so. Vannan kept silent, though her eyes were not still at all. A fiery excitement had bubbled up in them, and her pale eyes shone. Ziral leapt off her craft along with Ascrod and Gelltor.  
  
Soon, all the Marlfoxes were off the boats, and the two rats that were navigating the boats beached them in the grass.  
  
Predak swung her ax experimentally. "Well? Where do we begin our... mission, would you call it?"  
  
Gelltor rubbed his tail, which still ached and pained. He snapped, vexed, "Well where do you think?" He spread his paws wide. "The woods! I bet a lot of mice and hermits live in there. Marlfoxes are magic, remember, sister? We can dash in, do a little magic, then go out!"  
  
Mokkan arrogantly shoved Gelltor aside. "Then what?"  
  
Gelltor snarled and swung his ax. Ziral blocked it, snapping, "Stop it! This is getting us no where. Let's just go in the woods and see what we can find, brothers."  
  
Gelltor lowered his ax, and Mokkan stepped back, both glaring at the other with ashen eyes.  
  
"Over here!" hissed Vannan. Her ax was out, and she motioned for the rest to come.  
  
"What is it?" whispered Predak, her pale eyes luminous in the sunlight threading through the trees. She shifted to get a better look.  
  
Mokkan laughed silently. It was a family of dormice, their two mice children playing behind the wooden hut that the mother and father must be in. A well was nearby also, built of sandstone and had two buckets of water next to it.  
  
Ascrod whispered back, "Well, Mokkan, what now? You have brought us here, so what do we do?"  
  
Mokkan turned and faced his siblings and their guards. "Listen..."  
  
A fox, dressed in ragged clothing and carrying a stick, came into view. He hobbled over to the mice nearby, and asked in a feeble voice, "Please, may I have some food, perhaps water?"  
  
The mother of the mice smiled and got up. A few moments later, she came out with a loaf of bread and a beaker of water. The fox gulped the water down, and chewed on the crusty bread. He bowed, pale eyes flashing. "Thank you, kind marm. May seasons bless you." He gave the mouse the beaker back, and trotted off.  
  
A few moments later, with a crackle and a pop, the house began to burn. Smoke lifted from its sides, and much more came from inside it. The mouse father and mother scooped up their children, and rushed to the edge of the glade. The fire gathered up surrounding trees, swallowing anything in its voracious appetite  
  
Mokkan undid his ripped cloak from around him, throwing it on the ground. The Marlfox was in the glade they were in earlier, a good distance from the offending smokes and fire. He looked around, and saw Predak shifting through a pile of silver utensils. He snapped, "Well? My plan worked, didn't it? That house is gone, and the valuables?"  
  
"Gone, on the boat with our siblings," she replied, not looking up. "I'm making sure that these are not fake or dirty."  
  
He snorted, came over, and scooped up a separate pile from beside his sister. "Take these and hurry. That fire Gelltor made was a good one, and twill soon destroy the house. The mice are no worry to us anymore."  
  
Predak looked slightly disturbed at this, but gathered up the silverware and followed.  
  
Gelltor, Ziral, and Vannan were shoving the stolen items in sacks far behind the burning hut. Ascrod was keeping the fire in check, so it didn't burn up the dell.  
  
Mokkan and Predak arrived, and dumped the forks, spoons and knives into a rough barley bag. Ascrod came back, looking over his shoulder. "Fire's gone; the house as well."  
  
Mokkan grinned, showing sharp canine teeth. "Well, that went well!"  
  
Vannan snorted. "Some house, though. It had almost nothing of use!"  
  
Predak nodded towards the silverware. "High Queen Silth will be happy with the silver. Hopefully."  
  
Gelltor stamped his footpaw in the loam. "High Queen Silth, huh! She is nothing. When she dies, we will own Castle Marl!"  
  
Mokkan turned, checking the bags again. "We'll see about that," he muttered under his breath.  
  
Ascrod heard. "What was that, brother?"  
  
"I said, where are the guard rats?" Mokkan lied, his pale eyes betraying nothing.  
  
Ziral pointed. "Down the clearing, they're near the boats, loading our plunder in them."  
  
Mokkan nodded. "Good. Let us go show our mother what we have from our..." he looked towards Predak. "Mission."  
  
A/N How was the chappie, did you like it, what do you want me to add, so on and so forth. This might be longer then I expected.  
  
Also, I reached my goal that all my new fics (A Thief's Life, Get to know each other, and Seven Axes) get six reviews! Thank you all! Also, please read my other Redwall fics, Ruddaring Sunsets and the Song of a Shadow. Bye for now!  
  



	4. Back Home

  
  
A/N I just got two fics done, 'Get to know each other' and 'A Thief's Life'. Now I can concentrate on this fic! - I'm so happy.  
  
This is the last chapter, so I'm trying to make it longer then usual. I hope you like it!   
  
Mokkan stashed his ax under the boat, and ordered to his three guards, "Stay here, or die!"  
  
The guards understood the threat, and stayed, silent.  
  
Mokkan turned, his fierce face glaring at Mossflower area. "Well? Let's go plunder some more before dark!"  
  
Predak hesitantly shifted her ax, but Ziral looked her way and she stopped. She and Ziral had formed a sort of friendship, for siblings anyway. Closer than any other Marlfox pair of siblings that existed. Between Mokkan and Gelltor, it was pure hate. Both were leaders, one a tempest, one a lurking storm.  
  
Vannan pointed with her ax to a large clump of trees. "I think the fire has gone out, or those doddering mice put it out."  
  
Gelltor picked up a stone and hurled it, smashing the rock in a birch tree, tearing off a strip of thin bark. "Hmph! Those mice can't do anything to save themselves."  
  
Vannan sidled up to Gelltor. "Of course not, mice can't do much to magic Marlfoxes, can they?"  
  
Mokkan, the skeptical one, answered. "Who knows; it is the beast, not the kind, that defines who he or she is."  
  
Gelltor kicked a tree trunk. "Yah, who cares? Where next?"  
  
Ziral struck off into a westerly direction. "Well, any way is better than none!"  
  
The rest of the Marlfoxes followed their sister, heading towards a rocky output.  
  
"This makes no sense," said Vannan, who was peering through the rocks with her keen, pale eyes. "Why are those foolish stoats doing that?"  
  
Mokkan grinned. "Stupid savages; they probably never said an eloquent sentence in their entire life!"  
  
A tribe of tattooed stoats, all dressed in red and tattooed in a shocking yellow, danced around a fire, shouting chants that sounded like they were straight from the Dark Gates. Tents, about six, were scattered around the camp of about twenty stoats.  
  
"This might be to our advantage, sister," said Ascrod. He tapped his ax on a granite boulder. "Look at their chief, that one in the corner. Don't you see what he is doing?"  
  
Ziral examined the singled out stoat. "Yes, talking to what seems could pass for a seer. Why is that important to us, brother?"  
  
Gelltor, for once, actually thought before saying, "They must be superstitious. What if some, say, magic foxes arrived, demanding valuables for sparing their lives?"  
  
Mokkan looked at his kin. "For once, an idea that sounds good. Let's try it, brother!"  
  
Kikiala, the chief stoat, asked his seer again. "Whenna fight fight, Viajha? Whena?"  
  
Viajha tossed a bird feather in the flames; it smoked, fire withering it's edges. "No fight fight soon, Kikiala. Mighty warriors come!"  
  
Kikiala kicked his seer. "Warriors mighter than my fighters? Speaka, or die!"  
  
Viajha seemed to have lost his voice- instead, he pointed towards the trees. Kikiala turned, and gasped.  
  
"Foxes! No, twoa foxes! Magic!"  
  
Vannan and Ziral stepped out of the trees, axes held at a position that the fire reflected off them eerily. Both their faces glowing in the firelight, and their cloaks blended them into the trees. It looked like only the axe and head existed. The pair suddenly zipped around, and arivved in front of the chief and seer.  
  
Viajha croaked, "Mighty warriors, see, ax ax!"  
  
Ziral twitched. "What now, sister?" she murmured out of the corner of her mouth.  
  
"Demand loot from them, like our foolish brother demanded." She replied, not taking her eyes off the stone clubs the stoats clasped.  
  
"We seea magic! What do yous want for your magic, foxes?" chirped up the stoat chief, evidently trying to stay on their good side.  
  
Vannan's eyes narrowed. "We want treasures, or we shall rain upon you like the autumn leaves!" To emphasize this, Mokkan and Ascrod dropped from a nearby tree, grasping axes. "We all are magic!"  
  
Minutes later, the six Marlfoxes trod away, clasping bags of booty and axes.  
  
Wilce came nearly a second later then Lantur. She pointed up an attic stairway, whispering, "Up there, milady." A ladder hung from the attics for rats to climb and get to storage.  
  
The sly Marlfox grabbed the rungs ad climbed up, her water rat in close pursuit. She reached her destination quickly, and helped Wilce up.  
  
A pile of shining white cloth was in a corner, flecked with charcoal crumbs and red dye. Lantur grinned, baring sharp teeth, and lugged it out of the corner. She looked down from a hole in the attic floor above the High Queen's chambers, and saw her mother dozing in her palanquin.  
  
With a swift movement, she clasped the ends of the sheet, and with Wilce's help, tossed the majority of the cloth over the attics. Both her and Wilce moaned with hideous voice, moaning, "Siiiilllllthhhh!"  
  
The queen sat up in her palanquin and shrieked. "Who is there?"  
  
Lantur and her rat servant moaned, "It is I, the White Ghost!"  
  
The queen passed out, falling in a heap on the floor, from wine and shock. Lantur chuckled as she shoved it out of the way. "That should keep the old fool asleep for a while."  
  
Wilce added, hoping to please her master, "Perhaps forever, the way she fell!"  
  
Both Marlfox and water rat laughed quietly, plotting a new threat.  
  
Mokkan stood at the head of the boat he was in, pattern weave clock waving in the sea breeze. He sniffed the air, and commented, "We are nearing the pike shoals. Get the bows out!"  
  
The rat guards hastily obeyed, drawing bows and quivers.  
  
Ascrod was watching the steady course of his boat, the other than Mokkan's, and slowly said, "Ready... bows drawn... fire!"  
  
Arrows hissed and struck home on the pike's bodies. They writhed and squirmed, a pitiful sight.  
  
Predak mentioned from the starboard of Mokkan's boat, "I don't see why we have to slay needlessly."  
  
Gelltor snarled into her face, yellow teeth bared. "It's the only way!"  
  
Ziral glared at her brother. "You'd best stop it. Look, we're almost at the castle!"  
  
Vannan muttered through gritted teeth words she could only hear. "Is that a good thing?"  
  
The water rats arrived at the shores of Castle Marl, bowing and waving banners. "Welcome back, High Marlfoxes!"  
  
Mokkan swished his cloak, and motioned for the rats bearing the valuables to come forth. The rest of the Marlfox siblings followed, their cloaks whipping about in the breeze, axes shining from the setting sun.  
  
"What is it, mother? Are you hurt?" asked Lantur, the damson and herb wine in her paws. She set it aside on a bedside table. "Here, let me-"  
  
"No!" snapped Silth. She hoisted herself up, and then collapsed again, weak from her faint. A group of water rats helped her up. She steadily rose, then hobbled over to her bed, where she plopped down.  
  
"What happened, mother? You seem as weak as a new kit." She gave the chalice filled with dark damson and herb wine on the table. "Here, this will help."  
  
"You will address me as Queen!" growled the High Queen, swallowing the rich mixture. "I saw the White Ghost, and none of my guards came to help!"  
  
The guards uneasily backed away, fearing her wrath. She sipped the drink, glaring at her guards and daughter. "I saw it, and... Ughh!" She shuddered.  
  
A knock on the door sounded. "High Queen Silth, it is your sons and daughters, back from our mission!"  
  
The Queen sat up, the goblet sloshing in her paws. "Come in!"  
  
Mokkan came in first, flanked by the guards bearing the sacks from their plundering. The rest of the sly Marlfox siblings followed, Ziral shutting the door.  
  
The Queen motioned for them to bring the plunder over. "Yes, yes, all good. Gold, silver, gemstones, yes, all good. Beauty!"  
  
Lantur almost had began to touch it, but her mother swatted her away. "Go, daughter!"  
  
Lantur bowed sullenly, then slipped out the door. She turned to Wilce, who had followed her. "Well?"  
  
Wilce nodded. "All ready. We shall haunt her for seasons to come!"  
  
The treacherous daughter grinned, pale eyes glowing in the dim light of wax candles. "And when she does, I shall be High Queen of the Marlfoxes!"  
  
A/N It was a nice fic I created, and shall miss it. Maybe I shall make another Redwall one soon. Expect it.   
  
Please read my other Redwall fan fictions, Song of a Shadow and Ruddaring Sunsets! I know I told you in the beginning of the third chappie, but call it advertising. 


End file.
